Chapter 2
Hello everypony. I know I said that after last chapter that I would make Chapter 5 of emFury's Miraculous Adventure,/em but I wanted to do part 2 of The Crystal Empire. I promise after this that I will start that chapter. Begin! P.S, I forgot to mention that Sapphire Thunder has a deep voice, so his singing will be Bass. Also, he got to learn the names of the Mane Six on his way into the Crystal Empire.
We continue where we left off, as King Sombra is approaching the empire. Shining Armor is looking at the dark clouds that the king is bringing towards the city.
"The empire is under attack." Shining Armor said, picking Cadence up off the ground. Cadence then put the barrier back up, making sure King Sombra didn't come in, which he has tried, but his horn broke off.
"I have to find the Crystal Heart." Shining Armor said.
"No, you stay here with Cadence. She needs you, Shining Armor." Twilight said. "I'll retrieve the heart."
"Yeah, let's do this." Rainbow Dash said, as she and Sapphire Thunder followed her.
"I figured out how I'm meant to pass Celestia's test." Twilight said. "Retrieving the Crystal Heart must be it. But there is something else you two can do."
"Name it." Rainbow said.
"Yeah, we'll do anything to help." Sapphire added.
"You and the rest of our friends have to keep the Faire going." Twilight told them.
"What? with that thing moving into the empire?" Rainbow said.
"The whole purpose of the Crystal Faire is to lift the spirits of the Crystal Ponies, so they can activate the Crystal Heart." Twilight said
"Yeah? And?"Raibow said.
"If the Crystal Ponies find out that King Sombra is trying to take over the empire again, their spirits are going to be anything but lifted." Twilight said.
"Then we better hurry and find that heart." Sapphire said. All three then were outside the castle.
"It won't matter if I find the Crystal Heart. They won't be able to make it work." Twilight said. "You have to keep them happy here at the Faire."Twilight said. "Keep the Faire going, and the Crystal Ponies' spirits high."
"Done and done." Rainbow said, as she flew to the Faire.
"Twily...be careful." Shining Armor called up from the balcany.
"I will." Twilight said.
"I'll keep guard over the fake Crystal Heart with AJ, make sure no one peeks at it until you find the real deal." Sapphire told Twilight.
"Thanks Sapphire." Twilight thanked, as she dashed off to find the Crystal Heart.
Meanwhile, out by the shield, a dark crystal grew where King Sombra's horn piece broke and fell.
At the Faire, a Crystal Pony did the ring toss and successfully got the ring on the crystal, which they had a magical crystal coating cover them when they got happy. (A/N: Sorry I forgot to mention that last chapter, since several of them did it last chapter.)
Another Crystal Pony was eating Crystal Corn on the Cob, which she also gained the Crystal coating as she happily ate it. All the Other Crystal Ponies were also enjoying the Faire.
Rainbow Dash whispered to Rarity the situationg
"Huh?" Rarity gasped too loud, making Rainbow cover her mouth, and the Crystal Ponies around her to look at her. "I just found out they're offering face-paintings for the little ones. Ha ha." Rarity then whispers the situation to Spike.
"Uh-huh, we can do that." Spike said. "Twilight's doing what?" Spike dashes off to find Twilight.
"He really loves getting his face painted." Rarity told the Crystal Ponies.
We then see Twilight walk past the Flugelhorn stand, where Rainbow appeared to sell flugelhorns.
"Who wants a flugelhorn?" Rainbow calls out.
"I want a flugelhorn." Pinkie said, as she was wearing a jester costume. That got Rainbow a little frustrated at her.
"Who else wants a flugelhorn?" Rainbow asks again.
"I want a flugelhorn!" Pinkie cried and stomped like a filly.
Twilight then stopped and got an idea from the palace. She then heard Spike call out to her, making her look in his direction.
"Twilight! Wait! I'm coming with you." He said.
"You can't. I have to retrieve the Crystal Heart by myself." Twilight said, walking away.
"I know. I promise I won't lift a claw to help you." Spike said. Twilight then lifted him with her magic and placed him on her back.
"Not a claw, Spike." She said. They then went towards the castle.
"Where are we going exactly?" Spike asked.
"I think I might know where King Sombra hid the Crystal Heart." Twilight said.
"The castle?" Spike asked, confused.
"The king would have been counting on the fact that no pony would dare come looking for it here. They'd have been too afraid to even try." Twilight explained.
"I hope you're right." Spike said.
"You and me both." Twilight told the dragon as they entered the castle.
Applejack and Sapphire Thunder saw Twilight and Spike entering the castle
"Now why do you reckon they're going in there?" Applejack asked.
"I don't know, unless...*gasps* she thinks King Sombra hid the real heart in there." Sapphire said.
"Well, I hope she's right." Applejack said, referring to said.
"You and me both." Sapphire said.
Rainbow then tries to help protect the fake heart, only for Applejack to tell her to go do jousting, while she and Sapphire handles guarding the fake heart.
"Seeing my awesomeness does have a way of putting ponies into a pretty good mood." Rainbow said. "And don't make-out while I'm gone." The two Earth Ponies looked at each other, then looked away blushing.
We then see Fluttershy in charge of the petting zoo, which Rianbow Dash comes over and nudges her to the jousting arena.
"Come on, Knight Fluttershy." Rainbow said.
"Huh?" Fluttershy asked, confused.
"It's showtime." Rainbow told Fluttershy.
Back with Applejack and Sapphire Thunder, they were doing great with their job. Then, one of the Crystal Ponies walked by.
"How y'all feeling? Having a good time?" Applejack asked.
"The best I've had in over a thousand years." The Crystal Pony said.
"Well, that's good." Applejack said, making sure the pony didn't see the 'Crystal Heart.' "Gotta renew that spirit of love and unity if your gonna power up that Crystal Heart, right?"
"I sure would like to see it before the ceremony." The Crystal Pony said, still trying to get a look at the 'heart.'"It's been such a long time."
"Oh, I hear you." Applejack said. "But, uh, whew. Getting a little toasty out here. Bet you'd like to cool off with a little Crystal Empire nectar." The Crystal pony went to the drink stand.
"Whoa, no looking at the heart just yet." Sapphire said to a male Crystal Pony, which Applejack came over to help.
"Uh, you tried the Crystal Empire Fritters yet?" She asked the pony. "Made from traditional Crystal Empire recipe. You're gonna love them."
"Hey, gotta wait for the Crystal Heart ceremony." Sapphire said, as he noticed another pony coming towards the 'Crystal heart.'
"Uh, I hear there's a jousting match about to start. You don't wanna miss that." Applejack said, as the pony went running to the jousting match. "Come on, Twilight. These Crystal Ponies are more curious than a cat."
We see Twilight searching the castle for the Crystal Heart, but having no luck so far.
"It's gotta be here somewhere." Twilight said. "It's just gotta be." She continued looking, when she see's Spike helping.
"Not a claw, Spike." Twilight told him, which he laugh's nervously. "Celestia's orders." She was gonna continue looking through the castle, until she backed up into the throne room and started to think.
"Hey Twilight." A voice called out, to which the purple unicorn turned around to see Sapphire Thunder coming towards her.
"What's wrong, Sapphire Thunder?" Twilight asked the big pony.
"I was just wondering if you found the heart yet, because the Crystal Ponies are getting too antsy." Sapphire said.
"No, but I'm getting close." Twilight said. She then stared at the throne in the throne room and remembered what Princess Celestia said.
'If the empire is filled with hope and love, those things are reflected across all of Equestria. If hatred and fear take hold...' The words echoed in Twilight's mind.
"Of course!" Twilight exclaimed, which Spike runs into said pony.
"What? Did you find it?" Spike asked.
"No. Because this isn't King Sombra's castle." Twilight said.
"It isn't?" Sapphire asked
"Well, isn't this where he lived when he was in power?" Spike asked.
"It is. But it didn't look like this." Twilight said.
"Okay, now I'm lost." Sapphire said.
"Just watch." Twilight said. She starts grunting, as she starts using the same spell Celestia showed her on the crystal throne.
A shadow spreads across the center of the throne room, making Spike split up from the ponies, and a big square hole with a spiral staircase appear in the shadow.
"Whoa. When did you learn to do that?" Spike asked.
"Yeah, that looked like some powerful magic there." Sapphire added.
"That was a little trick Celestia taught me." Twilight said, proudly.
"Whoa, Princess Celestia taught you that?" Sapphire asked in awe.
"Yes she did." Twilight said. Spike looks down the hole, getting scared.
Twilight made a glowing ball appear on her horn, which she starts going down the stairs, which Sapphire Thunder and spike start to follow.
"You two stay here." Twilight told the two
"If you insist." Spike said, relieved he didn't have to go down.
"Awww, I wanted to go down too." Sapphire said.
Twilight continues down the stairs, as Spike calls down.
"Can you see what's down there yet?" He asked.
"Not yet." Twilight yelled back. "I can't even tell how far down this goes."
"I can help with that." Sapphire said, as he jumps down into the hole. He fell past Twilight and landed on the bottom of the hole with a big, thundering crash.
"You alright down there!?" Twilight asked, concerned about her new friends health.
"Yeah, now you know why I'm called Sapphire Thunder." Sapphire said. "Plus, that was a 120 foot drop I just took. Maybe 200?"
"Well, don't move. I'm coming down." Twilight said, as she went all the way down the stairs. When she got down there, she saw he had only a few bumps and bruises. "How are you mildly hurt?"
"Because, I'm as tough as a sapphire." Sapphire said.
"Guys, Cadence's magic is starting to fade away, fast." Spike called down.
"We gotta go fast." Twilight stated. She and Sapphire noticed a door, which Twilight tried opening with her magic, but it kept moving out of the way.
What in the...?" Twilight asked, confused. "Stop...moving." She said, as she tried going for the door. As the door stopped, she used the same magic as before on the crystal at the top of the door. The door then opens up.
"Spike, I think it's here." Twilight said, as she runs through the door, only to end up in Celestia's castle.
"What are you doing here?" 'Celestia' asked.
"I don't know. I open the door and then-" Twilight said, then Princess 'Celestia' interrupted her.
"And now you must go." She told the young pony.
"Go where?" Twilight asked, confused on why her mentor was acting so strange.
"It doesn't matter to me." 'Celestia' answered kinda darkly. "You failed the test, Twilight." This shocked Twilight, as she has never failed anything before.
"I don't understand. The test?" Twilight asked.
"Not only will you not move on to the next level of your studies, you won't continue your studies at all." 'Celestia' told Twilight, making her sad.
"I...You didn't say anything about no longer being your student if I failed." Twilight said, her eyes filling with tears.
"Didn't I?" 'Celestia asked darkly, pushing Twilight away with her wing.
"But what do I do now?" Twilight asked, then she heard the evil laugh of King Sombra. She looked up and saw portrait of her losing to him.
"Twilight!" called two voices very faintly, but were growing stronger. The 'world' Twilight was in fades, as she comes back to the real world.
"Twilight? Twilight!" Called the voices of Spike and Sapphire Thunder. "Twilight!" This made Twilight snap from her nightmare.
"I know you told me to stay up there but you were here for such a long time. And you weren't answering. And I got worried so I came down here, and you were just staring at that wall. We were calling your name, but we couldn't get your attention and..." Spike was panicking about Twilight, which she starts running back to the door, making him scratch his head in confusion. "What were you looking at? I mean, it's just a wall." He asked, as he looks at the wall.
"Ponyville? How did I get...? No! I don't want to go." Spike shouted. "Please, Twilight, don't make me." Twilight slammed the door d=shut, making Spike come out of his nightmare.
"King Sombra's dark magic. A doorway that leads to your worst fear." Twilight said.
"So that's why you weren't answering when we were calling you." Sapphire said.
"Exactly." Twilight said.
"We were home. You told me you didn't need me anymore. You were sending me away." Spike told Twilight.
"A fear that will never come to pass." Twilight said, hugging Spike. "I'm never going to send you away. And I'm not going to fail my test." Twilight uses her magic on the door, having lead somewhere this time. The door lead to a bright white crystal room, with a staircase leading up.
"What's in there?" Spike asked, scared.
"Stairs." Twilight answered. "Lots and lots of stairs."
"Okay, while you two climb those stairs, I'll climb these other ones and see if the others need my help." Sapphire said, as he ran up the dark stairs to help the others.
"Maybe you should come with me this time." Twilight said, making Spike happy. They both start climbing the stairs.
Back with Princess Cadence and Shining Armor, Cadence was struggling with keeping the spell up. They then heard King Sombra laughing evilly.
At the jousting match, Rainbow Dash was getting ready to duel Fluttershy. Pinkie sees the sky go from blue to dark and back again, which she then blows the horn to start the match. Rainbow and Fluttershy, but the pink haired pony got scared and stopped, making her get hit and go flying.
"Bravo, Knight Rainbow Dash." One Crystal Pony called out, which Rainbow was smiling and waving for getting attention for her awesomeness.
"Isn't there somepony else who could take over the jousting demonstration with you?" Fluttershy asked while whimpering.
"The fate of the entire empire rest on us showing these ponies a good time." Rainbow said. "But, you know, if that isn't important to you..." Fluttershy starts sobbing.
"Okay. Okay. I'll take it easy on you next time." Rainbow told Fluttershy. "But not too easy. I've got a reputation to maintain."
Sapphire arrives back at the fake heart, where Applejack was waiting for him to come back. She saw that he was panting.
"What took you so long? And why are you out of breath?" Applejack asked,
"Because I took a lot of stairs on the way back here." Sapphire said, then added. "Also, Twilight is close to finding the real Crystal Heart."
"Hot diggity, that's good news." Applejack said. They then noticed the sky and the buildings changing, getting worried. "She better go faster."
Back with Twilight, she was continuing up the stairs, panting as she was going. Spike wasn't doing any better.
"What if this is just more of his magic?" Spike asked. "He makes a door that leads to your worst nightmare, why not a staircase that goes on forever?" This point made Twilight look up and have an idea.
"Hold on to me." She said, as she grabs Spike with her magic, places him on her back, and she used her magic to turn the tables. Literally.
She and Spike start sliding up the stairs, upside down.
Back in the empire, the Crystal Ponies were noticing King Sombra returning, which Rarity was trying to go fast enough to distract them, but it wasn't working.
The Crystal Ponies were gathering around the 'Crystal Heart', which Applejack and Sapphire Thunder was trying to keep them back.
"Excuse me. Pardon me. I am running out of weaving materials for the traditional crafts booth." Rarity said to Applejack and Sapphire. "I just made a hat with three pieces of hay and a drinking straw. I made it work, but still."
"We gotta do everything we can to keep this thing going." Applejack told Rarity.
"Yeah. Besides, Twilight is close to finding the real Crystal Heart." Sapphire whispered to Rarity, which she got excited about.
"Really?!" She shouted, but then saw everypony staring. "I mean really?" Sapphire nods, then looks up with the other two.
"The Princess isn't looking so good." Applejack said. "I can't imagine her magic is gonna last much longer." We see Shining Armor holding Cadence, as she's still trying to hold on with her magic.
"It's gonna be fine. These ponies are gonna power up that Crystal Heart when the time comes, and we won't be needing her magic anyway." Applejack told Rarity.
"I sure hope that time comes soon." Pinkie Pie said out of nowhere. "Even I can't keep this party going forever." We see her trying to balance herself on a beach-ball, while juggling flugelhorns. she then slips and falls, making the ball hit the fake heart and tipping it over, making the Crystal Ponies see it was a fake.
"This isn't the Crystal Heart." A male Crystal Pony said.
"Oh, of course it isn't." Rarity said, chuckling. "The real one is-"
"On its way." Applejack interrupted.
"I was going to say 'being polished' to buy us more time." Rarity said to Applejack.
"Oops." Everyone then hears King Sombra laughing his evil laugh, as they start running away, terrified.
"It's him." A Crystal pony said.
"Crystal Heart..." King Sombra said.
Back with Twilight and Spike, we see them continuing down, or up, the stairs.
"Whoa!" Twilight said, laughing. "I actually studied gravity spells thinking it might be on my test. Turns out, I was prepared for this. Wooo-hoo!" They continued until they were at the top of the tower, which Twilight turned off the anti-gravity spell, making her and Spike fall to the ground. They opened their eyes and saw the actual Crystal Heart, which Spike nudged Twilight to go get it.
Twilight walks towards the Crystal Heart, only to step on a trigger trap, alerting King Sombra she was up there. Twilight goes for the Crystal Heart, but bumps it out, as King Sombra traps her in a prison of shadow crystals.
"The heart? Where is the crystal?" Twilight asked, as she was looking for the Crystal Heart.
"Here. It rolled over to me when you dropped it." Spike yelled.
"Don't move." Twilight instructed, as Shadow crystals were growing around Spike. "You can move, just not towards me." Twilight tries teleporting outof the prison, but King Sombra put a fail-safe that teleported her back in.
"How could have I been so foolish? I was just so eager to get it." Twilight scolded herself. "Then when I saw what was going on outside, I..."
"You have to get out of there, Twilight. You have to bring the Crystal Heart to Princess Cadence." Spike told Twilight. "If you don't, you fail Celestia's test."
"King Sombra is already attacking the empire. He can reach the Crystal Ponies at any moment. Reach Princess Cadence, my brother, my friends. There may not be enough time for me to find a way to escape." Twilight said, then got an idea. "You have to be the one to bring the Crystal Heart to the faire." She told Spike.
"Me? But Twilight-"
"Go."
"But-"
"Go!"
Spike grabs the Crystal Heart and jumps out the window ledge, as shadow crystals stick out. Down at the base of the castle, ponies were panicking.
"Now don't y'all worry your pretty, little Crystal heads. The real Crystal Heart will be hear any second." Applejack said from the balcony, with Rarity and Sapphire Thunder by her side.
"She's right. I was with Twilight when she was nearly finding it." Sapphire said. "I'm sure she found it and is on her way back this second."
"I don't know if they believe you." Rarity whispers to them both.
"I don't know if I believe us." Applejack whispers to Rarity, which Sapphire Thunder felt insulted that even Applejack didn't believe him.
With Princess Cadence, Shining Armor was comforting her, which her magic then shimmers away, dropping the force field. Down below, the Crystal Ponies start panicking.
"He's back! I can't take it!" One Crystal Pony said, running away and into King Sombra. "Ah! King Sombra."
"My crystal slaves." King Sombra said.
Spike was still up the tower, trying to get away from the shadow crystals. He then noticed his friends down below.
"Hey, up here." He called down.
"Spike?" Rarity said, looking up with everypony else.
"I've got the Crystal Heart!" Spike yelled down.
"That is mine!" King Sombra yelled. He then went into the ground after Spike, which the dragon was going down the crystal he was standing on. King Sombra made a crystal spike out of himself, which made Spike lose balance and fall with the Crystal Heart.
"Spikey-wikey!" Rarity cried his nickname she gave him, looking away.
"I'll get Sombra!" Sapphire Thunder said, as he runs and jumps off the balcony with all his strength. Shining Armor picks Cadence up in his back, which she opens her eye to see the Crystal Heart. Cadence removes the shadows from King Sombra, but he's still trying to get the Crystal Heart.
Shining Armor then throws a somewhat restored Princess Cadence, as she catches Spike and the Crystal Heart, while Sapphire Thunder tackled King Sombra. The Crystal Ponies were surprised at Cadence flying with the Crystal Heart, while all of Twilight's friends were surprised at Sapphire for tackling King Sombra.
"Who is that?" One Crystal Pony asked.
"Behold! The Crystal Princess!" Another said, as Princess Cadence flew by.
"The Crystal Heart has returned." Cadence said, as she crushed the fake heart by landing on it. "Use the light and love within you to insure that King Sombra does not." Cadence then throws the heart to the center, which is magically in place there.
All the Crystal ponies got their Crystal magic returned to them, and they put all their happiness and light into the heart, which surprised King Sombra.
"What? No! No! Stop!" 'King' Sombra tried to comand, but failed.
"Looks like they listen to Princess Cadence now." Sapphire told Sombra.
The Crystal Heart absorbed all the happiness, and blasted it back out, temporarily turning all non-Crystal Ponies into Crystal Ponies, which Rarity was happy about. The blast then destroys Sombra, never for him to be seen again.
The empire blasts a light, creating an Aurora Borealis effect all over Equestria.
Cadence flew back up with Spike, as Sapphire Thunder used the stairs. Shining Armor hugged his wife in happiness, glad to see she's doing fine. Princess Cadence waved to her subjects of the Crystal Empire. Spike was worried about Twilight.
"Good job, Spike." Twilight said to herself, as she was still up in the tower.
Later on, all the Crystal Ponies were enjoying themselves, as King Sombra was gone for good. Princess Cadence and Shining Armor were escorting Twilight and her friends out of the Crystal Empire. Even Sapphire Thunder was joining them
"I do wish it was permanent. Did you see how my mane just absolutely sparkled?" Rarity asked, sad that she couldn't stay a Crystal Pony.
"But good things are better when they're a rarity." Applejack said half joking, cheering up Rarity.
"Oh!" Rarity gushed at the statement her friend made.
"Everything's going to be okay. You've gotta stop saving my rump like this." Shining Armor told Twilight. "It's starting to get embarrassing."
"Wasn't me who saved you in the end, it was Spike." Twilight sadly said.
"It's just a test. Maybe she'll let you retake it." Shining Armor reassured his little sister, which Cadence nudged him with her wing.
"I don't think she's going to give me a new test." Twilight sadly said. Shining Armor then turns toward Sapphire Thunder.
"You sure you don't wanna stay? King Sombra isn't here to take over." Shining Armor asked the Earth Pony.
"Yeah, I actually want to go back to Ponyville with my new friends." Sapphire said. "Besides, if they have more adventures like this one, I wanna help out as much as I can."
"Knowing them, they'll have plenty of Adventures for you to like." Cadence said, giggling.
Twilight and her friends, along with Sapphire Thunder, got on the train, which took them to Canterlot. They went to the castle, which only Twilight went in. Everyone else was waiting outside to see how Twilight did on her test.
"Keep it together, buddy. Gotta stay strong...for Twilight." Spike said to himself.
Inside, Twilight was with Princess Celestia. "It's beautiful." Celestia said.
"I wish it had been me who ultimately made it so. But it wasn't." Twilight sadly said.
"Twilight, as I understand it, Spike brought Princess Cadence the Crystal Heart Because you weren't sure how quickly you could find a way to escape the tower." Celestia said. "You weren't willing to rick the future of the citizens of the Crystal Empire in an effort to guarentee your own. Far better that I have a student who understands the meaning of self-sacrifice, than one who only looks out for her own best interests."
"Does this mean...?" Twilight asked, which Celestia gave her a smile.
"She's totally going to lose it." Spike said, scared. "Keep it together, buddy. Gotta stay strong for Twilight.
"Don't worry, I'm sure she passed, Spike." Sapphire told the dragon.
Just then, the door opens on Spike, as Twilight walks out and the other ponies are wondering if she passed or not.
"I passed!" Twilight said, which everypony cheered.
"See, told you she would pass." Sapphire said, which Applejack elbowed him.
"You were right, as usual." She told him, which he blushed a little.
~Song~
Rarity: You were prepared to do your best~
Had what it takes to past the test~
All those doubts you can dismiss~
Turns out you were...~
All: Prepared for this~
Applejack:You clearly have just what it takes~
Pinkie: To pass a test with such high stakes~
Fluttershy: We knew for sure you would prevail~
Rainbow Dash: Since when does Twilight Sparkle ever fail~?
All: All those doubts that you can dismiss~
Trust yourself and you can't miss~
Applejack, Pinkie and Rarity: Turns out you were...~
Twilight: Turns out I was..~
Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Spike: Turns out you were...~
Twilight: Turns out I was...~
Sapphire: Turns out you were...~
All: Prepared for this~.
"Yeah. I knew everything was going to be fine." Spike said, as he then faints.
~End song~
"So, what will you do when you get to Ponyville, Sapphire?" Twilight asked, as they were heading there now.
"Well, I'll have to find a place to stay and have a job." Sapphire said.
"You look like you're strong enough to buck apples out of trees. Would you like to work at Sweet Apple Acres?" Applejack asked.
"Sure, but where would I live and how would I get there on time?" Sapphire asked.
"Maybe I could sweet-talk Granny Smith to let you live in the guest bedroom." Applejack said.
"Cool." Sapphire said
"You like him, don't you?" Rainbow asked.
"No! I'm just offering him a job and a place to stay." Applejack said, blushing. The other girls laughed, while Sapphire blushed too.
Okay, done with this chapter. Sometime this week, I will work on chapter 5 of Fury's Miraculous adventure. Anyway, enjoy this chapter.